"Looks like hindrance to me" - Daniil Medvedev finds humor amidst controversial end to Jaume Munar and Yibing Wu's Indian Wells 2023 R1 match

Daniil Medvedev didn't let the opportunity slip to take a sly dig at French chair umpire Aurelie Tourte after the latter made an error during the 2023 BNP Paribas Open first-round match between Jaume Munar and Yibing Wu.

After battling for two hours and 40 minutes on Court 2 of the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on Wednesday, World No. 67 Wu defeated 58th-ranked Munar 6-7(6), 6-0, 7-6(3) to set up a second-round clash with Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

On match point, the 23-year-old Chinese star stretched to his right to return the ball when Munar noticed that his opponent's racquet had made contact with the net while the ball was still in play. Although the visibly upset 25-year-old Spaniard raised the issue with Tourte, she refused to change her decision.

World No. 6 Medvedev, who has won his last three tournaments, reacted to the video on social media, saying,

"Looks like hindrance to me."

The Russian star made the comment with regard to another incident that involved Tourte in one of his matches in 2021. At the National Bank Open in Toronto, Medvedev was playing against compatriot Alexander Bublik when the former World No. 1 said 'sorry' to his opponent during a point.

This forced the Frenchwoman to call "hindrance" and give the point to Bublik. While a shocked Medvedev confronted her, a confused Bublik laughed.

Tourte: I called hinderance because you spoke during the point.

Medvedev to Bublik: Can you imagine? Because I had the ball to hit. You didn't have any ball to hit. Can you imagine how stupid this call is? This is gonna be on Tennis TV bro.

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"I will respect this decision" - Daniil Medvedev on Russian and Belarusian players' fate at Wimbledon

Daniil Medvedev at the 2023 BNP Paribas Open

Speaking to the media in Indian Wells recently, Daniil Medvedev stated that although he wanted to play at Wimbledon, he would respect whatever decision was made.

"I'm not going to make this decision for them or even help them make this decision," Daniil Medvedev said. "They have to make it by themselves for their different reasons like they did last year. And I always said I will respect this decision. I play where I can play. Tennis is my job so I would be really happy to play Wimbledon."

"I absolutely love that tournament, but if it's not meant to be, I'm going to wait for the opportunity to be back there," he added.

The fifth-seed Russian will take on America's Brandon Nakashima in the first round of the 2023 BNP Paribas Open.